Substrate cleaning brush, and substrate treatment apparatus and substrate treatment method using the same

ABSTRACT

An inventive substrate cleaning brush includes a peripheral surface cleaning portion, and a marginal area cleaning portion connected to the peripheral surface cleaning portion. The peripheral surface cleaning portion has a peripheral surface cleaning surface to be pressed against a peripheral surface of a substrate. The marginal area cleaning portion has a marginal area cleaning surface to be pressed against a marginal area of a major surface of the substrate, and the marginal area cleaning surface projects from the peripheral surface cleaning surface by a variable projection length.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a substrate cleaning brush, and asubstrate treatment apparatus and a substrate treatment method using thesubstrate cleaning brush. Exemplary substrates to be treated with theuse of the substrate cleaning brush include semiconductor wafers,substrates for liquid crystal display devices, substrates for plasmadisplay devices, substrates for field emission display (FED) devices,optical disks and magnetic disks.

2. Description of Related Art

In general, a surface of a semiconductor substrate (wafer) is notentirely used for device formation. That is, a marginal area of thesurface of the semiconductor substrate having a predetermined width is adevice non-formation region in which no device is formed. A center areaof the surface of the semiconductor substrate inward of the devicenon-formation region serves as a device formation region.

In a semiconductor device production process, a substrate treatmentapparatus to be used for cleaning the semiconductor substrateprincipally performs a cleaning operation on the semiconductor substratefor cleaning the device formation region. For example, the cleaning ofthe device formation region is achieved by cleaning a major surface ofthe semiconductor substrate with a cleaning brush while rotating thesubstrate by a mechanical chuck with a peripheral surface of thesubstrate held by a plurality of holder pins of the chuck.

In this case, interference between the cleaning brush and the holderpins should be avoided. Therefore, the marginal area (devicenon-formation region) of the major surface of the substrate and theperipheral surface of the substrate (hereinafter collectively referredto as “marginal portion”) cannot be cleaned. The marginal portion of thesubstrate is brought into contact with hands of a substrate transportrobot which handles the semiconductor substrate in the substratetreatment apparatus and with a substrate retention rack of a carrier (acassette or the like) for retaining the substrate. Therefore, foreignmatter is liable to adhere to the marginal portion.

Depending on a process to be performed on the substrate, contaminationof the marginal portion of the substrate significantly influences thequality of the treatment of the semiconductor substrate. Specifically, aprocess performed by immersing the semiconductor substrate in atreatment liquid is the case. More specifically, a plurality ofsubstrates arranged in juxtaposition in a vertical posture are immersedin a treatment liquid in a treatment liquid bath in a so-called batchprocess. In this state, the foreign matter adhering to the marginalportions of the substrates is liable to spread in the treatment liquidand adhere again to the device formation regions of the substrates.

Therefore, there is an increasing demand for the cleaning of themarginal portion of the substrate. Particularly, where the deviceformation region of the substrate is kept clean, it is desirable toselectively clean the marginal portion of the substrate to avoid anadverse influence on the device formation region.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One conceivable approach to the cleaning of the marginal portion of thesubstrate is, for example, to press a cleaning brush against themarginal portion of the substrate while rotating the substrate.

However, the width of the device non-formation region (a range requiredto be cleaned) is not fixed, but varies (as having different knownvalues) depending on a lot. Therefore, plural types of cleaning brushesshould be prepared and selectively used for scrubbing only the devicenon-formation region and the peripheral surface without influencing thedevice formation region. This necessitates replacement of the cleaningbrush, inevitably lowering the productivity.

Another conceivable approach is to utilize the elastic deformationcharacteristic of the cleaning brush to vary a brush pressing force forpressing the cleaning brush against the peripheral surface of thesubstrate depending on the lot to change a cleaning range. However, thismeans that a scrubbing strength is varied depending on the lot.Therefore, it is impossible to independently adjust the cleaning rangeof the marginal portion of the substrate and the scrubbing strength.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide asubstrate cleaning brush which ensures that the cleaning range can bechanged without the need for the replacement of the brush and thescrubbing strength can be easily adjusted, and a substrate treatmentapparatus and a substrate treatment method which employ the substratecleaning brush.

The inventive substrate cleaning brush includes a peripheral surfacecleaning portion having a peripheral surface cleaning surface to bepressed against a peripheral surface of a substrate, and a marginal areacleaning portion connected to the peripheral surface cleaning portionand having a marginal area cleaning surface to be pressed against amarginal area of a major surface of the substrate, the marginal areacleaning surface projecting from the peripheral surface cleaning surfaceby a variable projection length.

With this arrangement, the marginal portion of the substrate can becleaned with the use of the substrate cleaning brush having the marginalarea cleaning surface which projects from the peripheral surfacecleaning surface by the variable projection length. Since the cleaningrange of the marginal area of the substrate is determined by theprojection length of the marginal area cleaning surface, the size of thecleaning range can be variably set even with the use of the singlesubstrate cleaning brush. Further, the cleaning range is changed bychanging the projection length of the marginal area cleaning surface asmeasured from the peripheral surface cleaning surface, so that the brushpressing force for pressing the substrate cleaning brush against thesubstrate can be flexibly adjusted. Thus, the substrate can be properlycleaned by independently adjusting the pressing force and the cleaningrange.

The marginal area cleaning portion may include a first portion having afirst marginal area cleaning surface projecting from the peripheralsurface cleaning surface by a first distance, and a second portionhaving a second marginal area cleaning surface projecting from theperipheral surface cleaning surface by a second distance that isdifferent from the first distance. With this arrangement, the cleaningrange can be set as corresponding to the first distance by pressing thefirst marginal area cleaning surface of the first portion against themarginal area of the substrate. Further, the cleaning range can be setas corresponding to the second distance by pressing the second marginalarea cleaning surface of the second portion against the marginal area ofthe substrate. Therefore, the cleaning range of the marginal area of thesubstrate can be changed by properly selecting either the first portionor the second portion for cleaning the marginal area of the substrate.Thus, the cleaning range can be selectively set to plural ranges evenwith the use of the single substrate cleaning brush.

The marginal area cleaning surface of the marginal area cleaning portionmay project from the peripheral surface cleaning surface by a projectionlength that is continuously varied along an edge of the peripheralsurface cleaning surface. With this arrangement, the projection lengthof the marginal area cleaning surface is continuously varied along theedge of the peripheral surface cleaning surface. Thus, the cleaningrange of the marginal area of the substrate can be variably set byproperly selecting a portion of the peripheral surface cleaning surfaceto be pressed against the peripheral surface of the substrate.Therefore, the cleaning range can be selectively set to plural rangeseven with the use of the single substrate cleaning brush.

The peripheral surface cleaning surface may be generally cylindrical.With this arrangement, the marginal portion of the substrate is cleanedby pressing the cylindrical peripheral surface cleaning surface againstthe peripheral surface of the substrate and pressing the marginal areacleaning surface projecting from the peripheral surface cleaning surfaceagainst the marginal area of the substrate. This makes it possible topress the substrate cleaning brush against the peripheral surface of thesubstrate with a uniform pressing force and at the same time, to easilychange the cleaning range.

In this case, the marginal area cleaning surface may be circular andeccentric with respect to the peripheral surface cleaning surface. Withthis arrangement, the projection length of the marginal area cleaningsurface as measured from the peripheral surface cleaning surface iscontinuously varied along the edge of the peripheral surface cleaningsurface, because the marginal area cleaning surface is circular andeccentric with respect to the cylindrical peripheral surface cleaningsurface. Thus, the cleaning range of the marginal area of the substratecan be varied depending on the portion of the peripheral surfacecleaning surface to be pressed against the peripheral surface of thesubstrate. Therefore, the cleaning range can be selectively set toplural ranges even with the use of the single substrate cleaning brush.

The peripheral surface cleaning surface may be defined by a steppedcylindrical circumferential surface including a plurality of cylindricalsurfaces having different diameters. With this arrangement, where themarginal area cleaning portion includes a plurality of disk-shapedflanges axially arranged and having the same diameter, for example, thedisk-shaped flanges project from the corresponding cylindrical surfacesby different projection lengths. Thus, the cleaning range of themarginal area of the substrate can be varied depending on which of thecylindrical surfaces is pressed against the peripheral surface of thesubstrate. Therefore, the cleaning range can be selectively set toplural ranges even with the use of the single substrate cleaning brush.

The peripheral surface cleaning surface may be elliptically cylindrical.In this case, for example, the marginal area cleaning surface ispreferably circular and coaxial with the peripheral surface cleaningsurface. With this arrangement, the projection length of the marginalarea cleaning surface (to be pressed against the marginal area of thesubstrate) as measured from the peripheral surface cleaning surface canbe varied by changing the portion of the peripheral surface cleaningsurface to be pressed against the peripheral surface of the substrate.Thus, the cleaning range of the marginal area of the substrate can bevaried depending on the portion of the peripheral surface cleaningsurface to be pressed against the peripheral surface of the substrate.Therefore, the cleaning range can be selectively set to plural rangeseven with the use of the single substrate cleaning brush.

The marginal area cleaning portion preferably includes a first marginalarea cleaning portion and a second marginal area cleaning portion whichare simultaneously pressed against marginal areas of opposite majorsurfaces of the substrate. With this arrangement, the first marginalarea cleaning portion and the second marginal area cleaning portion aresimultaneously pressed against the marginal areas of the opposite majorsurfaces of the substrate to clean the marginal areas of the substrate.Thus, the marginal areas of the opposite major surfaces of the substratecan be simultaneously cleaned.

The inventive substrate treatment apparatus includes a substrate holdingmechanism which holds a substrate, a substrate cleaning brush having theaforementioned features, a brush pressing mechanism which presses thesubstrate cleaning brush against the substrate held by the substrateholding mechanism, and a relative movement mechanism which moves thesubstrate held by the substrate holding mechanism and the substratecleaning brush relative to each other along an peripheral surface of thesubstrate.

With this arrangement, the cleaning range of the marginal area of thesubstrate can be variably set to any of plural ranges having differentsizes even with the use of the single substrate cleaning brush.

Where the substrate is a round substrate, the relative movementmechanism may be a substrate rotating mechanism which rotates thesubstrate. In this case, the substrate cleaning brush is pressed againstthe substrate being rotated, whereby the substrate and the substratecleaning brush are moved relative to each other for the cleaning of thesubstrate. Where the substrate is a polygonal substrate, the relativemovement mechanism may be a straight movement mechanism which moves thesubstrate and the substrate cleaning brush relative to each otherlinearly along an edge of the substrate. Thus, the substrate and thesubstrate cleaning brush are moved relative to each other for thecleaning of the substrate.

The inventive substrate treatment method includes the steps of pressinga substrate cleaning brush having the aforementioned features against asubstrate, and moving the substrate and the substrate cleaning brushrelative to each other along a peripheral surface of the substrate.According to the present invention, the cleaning range of the marginalarea of the substrate can be variably set to any of plural ranges havingdifferent sizes even with the use of the single substrate cleaningbrush.

The foregoing and other objects, features and effects of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of preferred embodiments with reference to the attacheddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically illustrating the construction of amajor portion of a substrate treatment apparatus according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an arrangement for controllingthe substrate treatment apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a front view schematically illustrating a substrate cleaningbrush in use as seen horizontally according to the embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically illustrating the substrate cleaningbrush in use as seen vertically according to the embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view schematically illustrating a substrate cleaningbrush in use as seen horizontally according to another embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a front view illustrating the construction of a substratecleaning brush according to further another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a front view illustrating the construction of a substratecleaning brush according to still another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) are a front view and a plan view, respectively,illustrating the construction of a substrate cleaning brush according tofurther another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) are a front view and a plan view, respectively,illustrating the construction of a substrate cleaning brush according tostill another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b) are a front view and a plan view, respectively,illustrating the construction of a substrate cleaning brush according tofurther another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b) are a front view and a plan view, respectively,illustrating the construction of a substrate cleaning brush according tostill another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 12(a) and 12(b) are a front view and a plan view, respectively,illustrating the construction of a substrate cleaning brush according tofurther another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 13(a) and 13(b) are a front view and a plan view, respectively,illustrating the construction of a substrate cleaning brush according tostill another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically illustrating the construction of amajor portion of a substrate treatment apparatus according to oneembodiment of the present invention. The substrate treatment apparatus100 is of a single substrate treatment type, which is adapted to treatgenerally round substrates W (e.g., semiconductor wafers) on aone-by-one basis. The substrate treatment apparatus 100 includes asubstrate holding/rotating mechanism 1 (serving as a substrate holdingmechanism and a relative movement mechanism) which holds and rotates asubstrate W, and a substrate cleaning mechanism 2 which scrubs thesubstrate W.

The substrate holding/rotating mechanism 1 has a pair of holder hands 3disposed in opposed relation. The holder hands 3 each have three holderrollers 4 a, 4 b, 4 c provided upright for holding the substrate W. Theholder rollers 4 a, 4 b, 4 c are arranged circularly in association witha peripheral surface of the substrate W. The substrate W is heldhorizontally with its peripheral surface 8 in abutment against sidesurfaces of the holder rollers 4 a, 4 b, 4 c.

A driving force of a holder roller driving motor 5 is transmitted to amiddle one 4 a of the three holder rollers 4 a, 4 b, 4 c via a belt 6 a.The driving force applied to the middle holder roller 4 a is transmittedto the holder rollers 4 b, 4 c via a belt 6 b. When the middle holderroller 4 a is driven by the holder roller driving motor 5, the other twoholder rollers 4 b, 4 c are correspondingly rotated. As a result, thesubstrate W held by the holder rollers 4 a, 4 b, 4 c is rotated.

The holder hands 3 each include a cylinder 7 (advancement/retractiondriving mechanism) for horizontally advancing and retracting the holderhands 3 to move the holder hands 3 toward and away from each other.Thus, the holder hands 3 are capable of holding the substrate W betweenthe holder rollers 4 a, 4 b, 4 c thereof and releasing the substrate Wfrom the holder rollers 4 a, 4 b, 4 c thereof.

The substrate cleaning mechanism 2 includes a sponge-like substratecleaning brush 10 a for scrubbing the peripheral surface 8 and amarginal area 9 of the substrate W, a pivot arm 11 holding the substratecleaning brush 10 a downward at its distal end, a pivot drivingmechanism 12 (brush pressing mechanism) which pivots the pivot arm 11about a vertical axis defined outside a substrate rotation range tohorizontally press the substrate cleaning brush 10 a against thesubstrate W, a lift driving mechanism 13 (brush pressing mechanism)which vertically moves the pivot arm 11 to press the substrate cleaningbrush 10 a vertically against the substrate W, and a rotation drivingmechanism 52 which rotates the substrate cleaning brush 10 a about avertical axis.

With this arrangement, the peripheral surface 8 and the marginal area 9of the substrate W are cleaned by pressing the substrate cleaning brush10 a against the peripheral surface 8 and the marginal area 9 of thesubstrate W while rotating the substrate W held by the substrateholding/rotating mechanism 52.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an arrangement for controllingthe substrate treatment apparatus. The substrate treatment apparatus 100includes a controller 14. The controller 14 controls operations of theholder roller driving motor 5 and the cylinder 7 of the substrateholding/rotating mechanism 1. The controller 14 also controls operationsof the pivot driving mechanism 12, the lift driving mechanism 13 and therotation driving mechanism 52 of the substrate cleaning mechanism 2.

FIG. 3 is a front view schematically illustrating the construction ofthe substrate cleaning brush in use as seen horizontally according tothe embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a plan viewschematically illustrating the construction of the substrate cleaningbrush in use as seen vertically according to the embodiment of thepresent invention.

The substrate cleaning brush 10 a is composed of a sponge material suchas of PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) The substrate cleaning brush 10 a includesa cylindrical peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 having a peripheralsurface cleaning surface 15 to be pressed against the peripheral surface8 of the substrate W for cleaning the peripheral surface 8 of thesubstrate W, and a marginal area cleaning portion 19 connected unitarilyto the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 and having marginal areacleaning surfaces 18 to be pressed against the marginal area 9 of onemajor surface 17 of the substrate W. The marginal area cleaning surfaces18 each project a predetermined distance from the peripheral surfacecleaning surface 15. The marginal area 9 of the substrate W is cleanedby one of the marginal area cleaning surfaces 18.

The peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 is cylindrical, and a shaft20 is attached to one end of the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16.The substrate cleaning brush 10 a is held downward by the pivot arm 11via the shaft 20. A driving force of the rotation driving mechanism 52is transmitted to the substrate cleaning brush 10 a via the shaft 20,where by the substrate cleaning brush 10 a is rotated about the verticalaxis of the shaft 20 defined as a rotation axis. The substrate cleaningbrush 10 a is pressed against the substrate W in a non-rotation statewhen a marginal portion (the marginal area 9 and the peripheral surface8) of the substrate W is cleaned.

The marginal area cleaning portion 19 includes a first portion 22 and asecond portion 24 which are each provided as a disk-shaped flange. Thefirst portion 22 and the second portion 24 are spaced from each otheraxially of the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 (in an axialdirection X1). The first portion 22 has a first marginal area cleaningsurface 21 which projects a first distance D1 from the peripheralsurface cleaning surface 15. The second portion 24 has a second marginalarea cleaning surface 23 which projects a second distance D2 (that isdifferent from the first distance D1) from the peripheral surfacecleaning surface 15.

The first portion 22 is generally coaxially connected to the peripheralsurface cleaning portion 16 so as to separate upper and lower portionsof the peripheral surface cleaning surface 15 from each other in theaxial direction X1. The second portion 24 is generally coaxiallyconnected to an end face of the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16opposite from the one end to which the shaft 20 is attached.

When the substrate W is cleaned, the controller 14 causes the substrateholding/rotating mechanism 1 shown in FIG. 1 to hold and rotate thesubstrate W. Then, the controller 14 causes the pivot driving mechanism12 and the lift driving mechanism 13 to press the substrate cleaningbrush 10 a against the substrate W being rotated. Thus, the marginalportion of the substrate W is cleaned. At this time, the controller 14controls the rotation driving mechanism 52 to keep the substratecleaning brush 10 a still at a predetermined rotation angular position.

More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the substrate W is heldand rotated by the substrate holding/rotating mechanism 1 with the majorsurface 17 (device formation surface formed with a device (semiconductordevice) 25) facing down. In this state, the peripheral surface cleaningsurface 15 of the substrate cleaning brush 10 a is pressed against theperipheral surface 8 of the substrate W with a predetermined pressingforce. Further, the first marginal area cleaning surface 21 or thesecond marginal area cleaning surface 23 is pressed against the marginalarea 9 of the lower surface (device formation surface) of the substrateW with a predetermined pressing force. Thus, a brush pressing step isperformed for pressing the substrate cleaning brush 10 a against thesubstrate W, and in this state a relatively moving step is performed formoving the substrate cleaning brush 10 a along the peripheral surface 8of the substrate W, whereby the peripheral surface 8 and the marginalarea 9 of the substrate W are cleaned.

The marginal area 9 of the substrate W to be cleaned by the firstmarginal area cleaning surface 21 or the second marginal area cleaningsurface 23 is a device non-formation region 26 in which no device 25 isformed. A device formation region is defined in a center region inwardof the device non-formation region 26. The width 27 of the devicenon-formation region 26 (a range required to be cleaned) is not fixed,but varies as having different known values depending on a lot.

As described above, the substrate cleaning brush 10 a has the firstmarginal area cleaning surface 21 projecting the first distance D1 fromthe peripheral surface cleaning surface 15 and the second marginal areacleaning surface 23 projecting the second distance D2 (different fromthe first distance D1) from the peripheral surface cleaning surface 15.Therefore, the cleaning range can be set to one of two ranges defined bythe first and second distances D1, D2 by selectively using the firstmarginal area cleaning surface 21 and the second marginal area cleaningsurface 23. Thus, the cleaning range of the substrate marginal area 9can be variably set.

Therefore, plural types of substrates W with device non-formationregions 26 having different widths 27 can be cleaned with the singlesubstrate cleaning brush 10 a by selectively using the first marginalarea cleaning surface 21 and the second marginal area cleaning surface23.

According to this embodiment, as described above, the cleaning range canbe selectively set to the plural ranges by selectively using the firstmarginal area cleaning surface 21 and the second marginal area cleaningsurface 23 which have different projection lengths as measured from theperipheral surface cleaning surface 15. Thus, the marginal portions ofthe plural types of substrates W with the device non-formation regions26 having different widths 27 can be cleaned with the use of the singlesubstrate cleaning brush 10 a. This eliminates the need for changing thesubstrate cleaning brush 10 a for every lot, and improves theproductivity.

Since the cleaning range is variably set by changing the projectionlength of the marginal area cleaning surface 18, the brush pressingforce for pressing the substrate cleaning brush 10 a against thesubstrate W (pressing forces for pressing the peripheral surfacecleaning surface 15 and the marginal area cleaning surfaces 21, 23against the substrate W) can be flexibly adjusted. Thus, the scrubbingstrength can be adjusted independently of the cleaning range to properlyclean the substrate W.

Further, the service life of the substrate cleaning brush 10 a can beprolonged by rotating the substrate cleaning brush 10 a. That is, thesubstrate cleaning brush 10 a which has a rotationally symmetrical shapeis rotated about the shaft 20 as a rotation axis by a predeterminedangle by the rotation driving mechanism 52. This prevents the substratecleaning brush 10 a from being partly worn heavily in contact with themarginal portion of the substrate W, thereby prolonging the service lifeof the substrate cleaning brush 10 a. The substrate cleaning brush 10 ais rotated, for example, when the lot is changed or during a periodafter the completion of the cleaning of one substrate W before the startof the cleaning of the next substrate W in the substrate treatmentapparatus 100. The substrate cleaning brush 10 a is preferably rotatedwhen the brush does not abut against the substrate W.

FIG. 5 is a front view schematically illustrating the construction of asubstrate cleaning brush in use as seen horizontally according toanother embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, componentsequivalent to those shown in FIG. 3 will be denoted by the samereference characters as in FIG. 3. Further, reference will be made againto FIGS. 1 and 2.

A major difference between the substrate cleaning brush 10 b shown inFIG. 5 and the substrate cleaning brush 10 a shown in FIG. 3 is that theperipheral surface cleaning portion 16 has a cylindrical shape extendingbelow the second portion 24 and a cylindrical peripheral surfacecleaning surface 30 is present below the second portion 24. Theperipheral surface cleaning surface 30 present below the second portion24 has a length that is not smaller than the thickness 28 of thesubstrate W as measured in the axial direction X1.

In this embodiment, the substrate W is horizontally held by thesubstrate holding/rotating mechanism 1 with the device formation surfacethereof (the major surface thereof formed with the device 25) facing up.In this state, the peripheral surface 8 and the marginal area 9 of thesubstrate W are scrubbed with the substrate cleaning brush 10 b.

In the scrubbing, positional relation between the substrate W and thesubstrate cleaning brush 10 b is controlled such that the substrate W islocated between the first portion 22 and the second portion 24 of thesubstrate cleaning brush 10 b or below the second portion 24 of thesubstrate cleaning brush 10 b. In practice, such positional relation isachieved by controlling the position of the substrate cleaning brush 10b.

More specifically, a lower surface of the first portion 22 serves as thefirst marginal area cleaning surface 21, and a lower surface of thesecond portion 24 serves as the second marginal area cleaning surface23. Further, a part of the peripheral surface cleaning surface 15present between the first and second portions 22, 24 serves as the firstperipheral surface cleaning surface 29 to be used in combination withthe first marginal area cleaning surface 21, and a part of theperipheral surface cleaning surface 15 present below the second portion24 serves as the second peripheral surface cleaning surface 30 to beused in combination with the second marginal area cleaning surface. 23.

Where the device non-formation region of the substrate W has arelatively small width, the first portion 22 is used. In this case, themarginal area 9 of the upper surface of the substrate W is pressedagainst the first marginal area cleaning surface 21, and the peripheralsurface 8 of the substrate W is pressed against the first peripheralsurface cleaning surface 29.

On the other hand, where the device non-formation region of thesubstrate W has a relatively great width, the second portion 24 is used.In this case, the marginal area 9 of the upper surface of the substrateW is pressed against the second marginal area cleaning surface 23, andthe peripheral surface 8 of the substrate W is pressed against thesecond peripheral surface cleaning surface 30.

In this embodiment, the first and second marginal area cleaning surfaces21, 23 are thus selectively used, whereby marginal areas 9 of pluraltypes of substrates W with device non-formation regions having differentwidths can be properly cleaned.

In the substrate cleaning brush 10 b of FIG. 5, the peripheral surfacecleaning surface 15 further includes a third peripheral surface cleaningsurface 31 provided above the first portion 22. Therefore, the substratecleaning brush 10 b of FIG. 5 can also be used when the substrate W ishorizontally held with its device formation surface facing down. Wherethere is no need to treat the substrate W with the device formationsurface facing down, the third peripheral surface cleaning surface 31 isnot required.

FIG. 6 is a front view illustrating the construction of a substratecleaning brush according to further another embodiment of the presentinvention. In FIG. 6, components equivalent to those shown in FIG. 3will be denoted by the same reference characters as in FIG. 3. Further,reference will be made again to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The substrate cleaning brush 10 c according to this embodiment isconfigured such that the marginal areas 9 of the opposite major surfaces17 of the substrate W can be simultaneously cleaned. More specifically,the substrate cleaning brush 10 c includes a peripheral surface cleaningportion 16, and a first marginal area cleaning portion 32, a secondmarginal area cleaning portion 33 and a third marginal area cleaningportion 34 which are spaced from one another in the axial direction X1and unitarily connected to the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16.

The peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 has a stepped cylindricalshape, and includes an upper smaller diameter portion 35 and a lowergreater diameter portion 36. The smaller diameter portion 35 and thegreater diameter portion 36 each have a cylindrical peripheral surface.The cylindrical peripheral surfaces of the smaller diameter portion 35and the greater diameter portion 36 respectively serve as a fourthperipheral surface cleaning surface 37 and a fifth peripheral surfacecleaning surface 38 for cleaning the peripheral surface 8 of thesubstrate W. The first to third marginal area cleaning portions 32, 33,34 are provided as disk-shaped flanges disposed coaxially with theperipheral surface cleaning portion 16 and having the same diameter, andeach have a marginal area cleaning surface 18 projecting perpendicularlyto the axial direction X1 of the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16.The smaller diameter portion 35 is located between the first and secondmarginal area cleaning portions 32, 33, and the greater diameter portion36 is located between the second and third marginal area cleaningportions 33, 34.

A lower surface of the first marginal area cleaning portion 32 and anupper surface of the second marginal area cleaning portion 33respectively serve as a third marginal area cleaning surface 39 and afourth marginal area cleaning surface 40 which are opposed to and spacedfrom each other by a distance corresponding to the length of the smallerdiameter portion 35 of the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16. Thelength of the smaller diameter portion 35 of the peripheral surfacecleaning portion 16 as measured in the axial direction X1 is slightlysmaller than the thickness 28 of the substrate W.

A lower surface of the second marginal area cleaning portion 33 and anupper surface of the third marginal area cleaning portion 34respectively serve as a fifth marginal area cleaning surface 41 and asixth marginal area cleaning surface 42 which are opposed to and spacedfrom each other by a distance corresponding to the length of the greaterdiameter portion 36 of the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16. Thelength of the greater diameter portion 36 of the peripheral surfacecleaning portion 16 as measured in the axial direction X1 is slightlysmaller than the thickness 28 of the substrate W.

The third marginal area cleaning surface 39 and the fourth marginal areacleaning surface 40 present on opposite sides of the smaller diameterportion 35 project from the fourth peripheral surface cleaning surface37 by a distance D3, and the fifth marginal area cleaning surface 41 andthe sixth marginal area cleaning surface 42 present on opposite sides ofthe greater diameter portion 36 project from the fifth peripheralsurface cleaning surface 38 by a distance D4 (D3>D4). A differencebetween the distances D3 and D4 is equal to a difference in radiusbetween the smaller diameter portion 35 and the greater diameter portion36.

When the peripheral surface 8 and the marginal areas 9 of the substrateW are to be scrubbed, the fourth peripheral surface cleaning surface 37or the fifth peripheral surface cleaning surface 38 is pressed againstthe peripheral surface 8 of the substrate W. Thus, the peripheralsurface 8 of the substrate W and the marginal areas 9 of the oppositemajor surfaces 17 of the substrate W are simultaneously scrubbed. Whichof the smaller diameter portion 35 and the greater diameter portion 36of the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 is to be used for thecleaning of the peripheral surface is determined depending on the widthof the device non-formation region of the substrate W to be cleaned.

FIG. 7 is a front view illustrating the construction of a substratecleaning brush according to still another embodiment of the presentinvention. In FIG. 7, components equivalent to those shown in FIG. 3will be denoted by the same reference characters as in FIG. 3. Further,reference will be made again to FIGS. 1 and 2.

A major difference between the substrate cleaning brush 10 d shown inFIG. 7 and the substrate cleaning brush 10 c shown in FIG. 6 is that themarginal area cleaning portion 19 includes three disk-shaped flangeshaving different outer diameters.

The substrate cleaning brush 10 d according to this embodiment isconfigured such that the marginal areas 9 of the opposite major surfaces17 of the substrate W can be simultaneously cleaned and the cleaningranges on the opposite major surfaces 17 of the substrate W can be setas having different sizes. More specifically, the substrate cleaningbrush 10 d includes a peripheral surface cleaning portion 16, and afourth marginal area cleaning portion 43, a fifth marginal area cleaningportion 44 and a sixth marginal area cleaning portion 45 spaced from oneanother in the axial direction X1 and unitarily connected to theperipheral surface cleaning portion 16.

The fourth to sixth marginal area cleaning portions 43, 44, 45 areprovided as disk-shaped flanges disposed coaxially with the peripheralsurface cleaning portion 16 and having different outer diameters, andeach have a marginal area cleaning surface 18 projecting perpendicularlyto the axial direction X1 of the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16.The peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 includes a smaller diameterportion 35 located between the fourth and fifth marginal area cleaningportions 43, 44 and a greater diameter portion 36 located between thefifth and sixth marginal area cleaning portions 44, 45.

A lower surface of the fourth marginal area cleaning portion 43 and anupper surface of the fifth marginal area cleaning portion 44respectively serve as a seventh marginal area cleaning surface 46 and aneighth marginal area cleaning surface 47 which are opposed to and spacedfrom each other by a distance corresponding to the length of the smallerdiameter portion 35 of the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16. Alower surface of the fifth marginal area cleaning portion 44 and anupper surface of the sixth marginal area cleaning portion 45respectively serve as a ninth marginal area cleaning surface 48 and atenth marginal area cleaning surface 49 which are opposed to and spacedfrom each other by a distance corresponding to the length of the greaterdiameter portion 36.

The seventh marginal area cleaning surface 46 present on the lowersurface of the fourth marginal area cleaning portion 43 projects fromthe fourth peripheral surface cleaning surface 37 by a distance D5, andthe eighth marginal area cleaning surface 47 present on the uppersurface of the fifth marginal area cleaning portion 44 projects from thefourth peripheral surface cleaning surface 37 by a distance D6 (D6>D5)Further, the ninth marginal area cleaning surface 48 present on thelower surface of the fifth marginal area cleaning portion 44 projectsfrom the fifth peripheral surface cleaning surface 38 by a distance D7(D6>D7), and the tenth marginal area cleaning surface 49 present on theupper surface of the sixth marginal area cleaning portion 45 projectsfrom the fifth peripheral surface cleaning surface 38 by a distance D8(D8>D7).

When the peripheral surface 8 and the marginal areas 9 of the substrateW are to be scrubbed, the smaller diameter portion 35 or the greaterdiameter portion 36 of the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 ispressed against the peripheral surface 8 of the substrate W. Where thesmaller diameter portion 35 is pressed against the peripheral surface 8of the substrate W, the seventh marginal area cleaning surface 46 andthe eighth marginal area cleaning surface 47 are respectively pressedagainst the marginal areas 9 of the upper and lower surfaces of thesubstrate W at the same time.

On the other hand, where the greater diameter portion 36 is pressedagainst the peripheral surface 8 of the substrate W, the ninth marginalarea cleaning surface 48 and the tenth marginal area cleaning surface 49are respectively pressed against the marginal areas 9 of the upper andlower surfaces of the substrate W at the same time.

Thus, the substrate cleaning brush 10 d can simultaneously clean themarginal areas 9 of the opposite major surfaces 17 of the substrate W,and the cleaning ranges on the opposite major surfaces 17 of thesubstrate W can be set as having different sizes.

FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) are a front view and a plan view, respectively,illustrating the construction of a substrate cleaning brush according tofurther another embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 8(a) and8(b), components equivalent to those shown in FIG. 3 will be denoted bythe same reference characters as in FIG. 3. Further, reference will bemade again to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The substrate cleaning brush 10 e according to this embodiment includesa shaft 20, a cylindrical peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 and amarginal area cleaning portion 19 of a disk-shaped flange. The shaft 20and the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 are coaxially connectedto each other, and the marginal area cleaning portion 19 is connected toone end of the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 eccentrically withrespect to the shaft 20 and the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16.Thus, the projection length of a marginal area cleaning surface 18 ofthe marginal area cleaning portion 19 as measured from a peripheralsurface cleaning surface 15 of the peripheral surface cleaning portion16 is continuously varied along an edge of the peripheral surfacecleaning surface 15. Therefore, the rotation angular position of thesubstrate cleaning brush 10 e is changed by controlling the rotationdriving mechanism 52 by the controller 14, whereby the cleaning range ofthe marginal area 9 of the substrate W can be variably set. Since theshaft 20 defined as the rotation shaft of the substrate cleaning brush10 e and the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 are coaxial witheach other, a pressing force to be applied to the peripheral surface 8of the substrate W can be kept substantially constant irrespective ofthe rotation angular position of the substrate cleaning brush 10 e.

FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) are a front view and a plan view, respectively,illustrating the construction of a substrate cleaning brush according tostill another embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 9(a) and9(b), components equivalent to those shown in FIG. 3 will be denoted bythe same reference characters as in FIG. 3. Further, reference will bemade again to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The substrate cleaning brush 10 f according to this embodiment includesa shaft 20, a cylindrical peripheral surface cleaning portion 16, and amarginal area cleaning portion 19 of a disk-shaped flange. The shaft 20and the marginal area cleaning portion 19 are coaxially connected toeach other, and the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 is connectedto one end of the marginal area cleaning portion 19 eccentrically withrespect to the shaft 20 and the marginal area cleaning portion 19. Thus,the projection length of a marginal area cleaning surface 18 of themarginal area cleaning portion 19 as measured from a peripheral surfacecleaning surface 15 of the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 iscontinuously varied along an edge of the peripheral surface cleaningsurface 15. Therefore, a portion of the peripheral surface cleaningsurface 15 to be pressed against the peripheral surface 8 of thesubstrate W is changed by rotating the shaft 20 defined as the rotationshaft by the rotation driving mechanism 52, whereby the cleaning rangecan be variably set to any of plural ranges.

FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b) are a front view and a plan view, respectively,illustrating the construction of a substrate cleaning brush according tofurther another embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 10(a) and10(b), components equivalent to those shown in FIG. 3 will be denoted bythe same reference characters as in FIG. 3. Further, reference will bemade again to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The substrate cleaning brush 10 g according to this embodiment includesa shaft 20, a peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 having anelliptically cylindrical peripheral surface cleaning surface 15, and amarginal area cleaning portion 19 of a disk-shaped flange. The shaft 20,the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 and the marginal areacleaning portion 19 are coaxially connected to one another. Thus, theprojection length of a marginal area cleaning surface 18 of the marginalarea cleaning portion 19 as measured from the peripheral surfacecleaning surface 15 is continuously varied along an edge of theperipheral surface cleaning surface 15. Therefore, a portion of theperipheral surface cleaning surface 15 to be pressed against theperipheral surface 8 of the substrate W is changed by rotating the shaft20 defined as the rotation shaft by the rotation driving mechanism 52,whereby the cleaning range can be variably set to any of plural ranges.

FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b) are a front view and a plan view, respectively,illustrating the construction of a substrate cleaning brush according tostill another embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 11(a) and11(b), components equivalent to those shown in FIG. 3 will be denoted bythe same reference characters as in FIG. 3. Further, reference will bemade again to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The substrate cleaning brush 10 h according to this embodiment includesa shaft 20, a cylindrical peripheral surface cleaning portion 16, and amarginal area cleaning portion 19 having a plurality of fan-shapedmarginal area cleaning surfaces (in this embodiment, three fan-shapedmarginal area cleaning surfaces 50 a, 50 b, 50 c) having different outerdiameters. The shaft 20, the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 andthe marginal area cleaning portion 19 are coaxially connected to oneanother. The fan-shaped marginal area cleaning surfaces 50 a, 50 b, 50 chave the same center, and are disposed in circumferentially offsetrelation. Thus, the fan-shaped marginal area cleaning surfaces 50 a, 50b, 50 c have different projection lengths as measured from theperipheral surface cleaning surface 15. Therefore, the fan-shapedmarginal area cleaning surfaces 50 a, 50 b, 50 c are selectively usedfor the cleaning of the marginal area 9 of the substrate W by rotatingthe substrate cleaning brush 10 h by the rotation driving mechanism 52,whereby the cleaning range of the marginal area 9 of the substrate W canbe varied.

FIGS. 12(a) and 12(b) are a front view and a plan view, respectively,illustrating the construction of a substrate cleaning brush according tofurther another embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 12(a) and12(b), components equivalent to those shown in FIG. 3 will be denoted bythe same reference characters as in FIG. 3. Further, reference will bemade again to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The substrate cleaning brush 10 i according to this embodiment includesa shaft 20, a cylindrical peripheral surface cleaning portion 16, and amarginal area cleaning portion 19 having a rectangular marginal areacleaning surface 18. The shaft 20, the peripheral surface cleaningportion 16 and the marginal area cleaning portion 19 are coaxiallyconnected to one another. Thus, the projection length of the marginalarea cleaning surface 18 as measured from a peripheral surface cleaningsurface 15 of the peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 is continuouslyvaried along an edge of the peripheral surface cleaning surface 15.Therefore, the cleaning range can be variably set to any of pluralranges by changing a portion of the peripheral surface cleaning surface15 to be pressed against the peripheral surface 8 of the substrate W.

FIGS. 13(a) and 13(b) are a front view and a plan view, respectively,illustrating the construction of a substrate cleaning brush according tostill another embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 13(a) and13(b), components equivalent to those shown in FIG. 3 will be denoted bythe same reference characters as in FIG. 3. Further, reference will bemade again to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The substrate cleaning brush 10 j according to this embodiment includesa shaft 20, a cylindrical peripheral surface cleaning portion 16coaxially connected to the shaft 20, and a generally rectangularmarginal area cleaning portion 19 connected to the peripheral surfacecleaning portion 16. The peripheral surface cleaning portion 16 has acylindrical peripheral surface cleaning surface 15.

The contour of the marginal area cleaning portion 19 as seen in plan isdefined by four arcs 51 a, 51 b, 51 c, 51 d concaved toward the shaft20. Distances D9, D10, D11, D12 between the arcs 51 a, 51 b, 51 c, 51 dand the peripheral surface cleaning surface 15 are different from eachother, and satisfy a relationship of D9>D10>D11>D12.

A surface of the marginal area cleaning portion 19 adjacent to theperipheral surface cleaning portion 15 serves as a marginal areacleaning surface 18 to be pressed against the marginal area 9 of thesubstrate W. The marginal area cleaning surface 18 has four marginalarea cleaning regions 181, 182, 183, 184 in association with the fourarcs 51 a, 51 b, 51 c, 51 d. The marginal area cleaning region 181 is anelongated region defined by the arc 51 a and another arc 53 a contactingthe peripheral surface cleaning surface 15. The arc 53 a is an arc whichis inwardly concaved toward the peripheral surface cleaning surface 15and has the same curvature center as the arc 51 a and the same curvatureradius as the substrate W. Similarly, the marginal area cleaning regions182, 183, 184 are elongated regions each defined by the arc 51 b, 51 c,51 d and another arc 53 b, 53 c, 53 d contacting the peripheral surfacecleaning surface 15. The arc 53 b, 53 c, 53 d is an arc which isinwardly concaved toward the peripheral surface cleaning surface 15 andhas the same curvature center as the arc 51 b, 51 c, 51 d and the samecurvature radius as the substrate W.

When the substrate cleaning brush 10 j is used, the controller 14controls the rotation driving mechanism 52 to control the rotationangular position of the substrate cleaning brush 10 j so that one of thearcs 51 a to 51 d is opposed to the rotation center of the substrate W.Thus, a corresponding one of the elongated marginal area cleaningregions 181, 182, 183, 184 is pressed against the marginal area 9 of thesubstrate W. The projection lengths of the marginal area cleaningregions 181, 182, 183 and 184 as measured from the peripheral surfacecleaning surface 15 are equal to distances D9, D10, D11 and D12,respectively. Therefore, the cleaning range of the marginal area 9 canbe variably set to any of four ranges.

By properly selecting one of the marginal area cleaning regions 181,182, 183, 184, a corresponding one of the arcs 51 a, 51 b, 51 c, 51 dfits along the peripheral edge of the device formation region defined inthe major surface of the substrate W. Thus, the marginal area 9 of thesubstrate W can be efficiently cleaned.

While the embodiments of the present invention have thus been described,the invention may be embodied in any other ways. For example, theperipheral surface cleaning portion and the marginal area cleaningportion of the substrate cleaning brush are not necessarily required tobe integrally formed, but may be provided as separate members which areunitarily connected to each other.

The embodiments described above are directed to the treatment of theround substrate, but the present invention is applicable to a polygonalsubstrate to provide the same effects as described above. In this case,a straight movement mechanism may be employed for linearly moving thesubstrate cleaning brush and the substrate relative to each other. Morespecifically, the substrate cleaning brush is pressed against asubstrate held by a substrate holding mechanism and fixed, and thesubstrate holding mechanism is moved by the straight movement mechanismto linearly move the substrate relative to the substrate cleaning brush.Alternatively, the substrate is fixed, and the substrate cleaning brushis moved by the straight movement mechanism to linearly move thesubstrate cleaning brush relative to the substrate. Further, both thesubstrate and the substrate cleaning brush may be moved relative to eachother by the straight movement mechanism for linear relative movement ofthe substrate and the substrate cleaning brush.

While the present invention has been described in detail by way of theembodiments thereof, it should be understood that these embodiments aremerely illustrative of the technical principles of the present inventionbut not limitative of the invention. The spirit and scope of the presentinvention are to be limited only by the appended claims.

This application corresponds to Japanese Patent Application No.2005-198414 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Jul. 7, 2005, thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

1. A substrate cleaning brush comprising: a peripheral surface cleaningportion having a peripheral surface cleaning surface to be pressedagainst a peripheral surface of a substrate; and a marginal areacleaning portion connected to the peripheral surface cleaning portionand having a marginal area cleaning surface to be pressed against amarginal area of a major surface of the substrate, the marginal areacleaning surface projecting from the peripheral surface cleaning surfaceby a variable projection length.
 2. A substrate cleaning brush as setforth in claim 1, wherein the marginal area cleaning portion includes: afirst portion having a first marginal area cleaning surface projectingfrom the peripheral surface cleaning surface by a first distance; and asecond portion having a second marginal area cleaning surface projectingfrom the peripheral surface cleaning surface by a second distance thatis different from the first distance.
 3. A substrate cleaning brush asset forth in claim 1, wherein the projection length of the marginal areacleaning surface of the marginal area cleaning portion as measured fromthe peripheral surface cleaning surface is continuously varied along anedge of the peripheral surface cleaning surface.
 4. A substrate cleaningbrush as set forth in claim 1, wherein the peripheral surface cleaningsurface is generally cylindrical.
 5. A substrate cleaning brush as setforth in claim 4, wherein the marginal area cleaning surface is circularand eccentric with respect to the peripheral surface cleaning surface.6. A substrate cleaning brush as set forth in claim 1, wherein theperipheral surface cleaning surface is defined by a stepped cylindricalcircumferential surface including a plurality of cylindrical surfaceshaving different diameters.
 7. A substrate cleaning brush as set forthin claim 1, wherein the peripheral surface cleaning surface iselliptically cylindrical.
 8. A substrate cleaning brush as set forth inclaim 7, wherein the marginal area cleaning surface is circular andcoaxial with a center of the peripheral surface cleaning surface.
 9. Asubstrate cleaning brush as set forth in claim 1, wherein the marginalarea cleaning portion includes a first marginal area cleaning portionand a second marginal area cleaning portion which are simultaneouslypressed against marginal areas of opposite major surfaces of thesubstrate.
 10. A substrate treatment apparatus comprising: a substrateholding mechanism which holds a substrate; a substrate cleaning brush asrecited in claim 1; a brush pressing mechanism which presses thesubstrate cleaning brush against the substrate held by the substrateholding mechanism; and a relative movement mechanism which moves thesubstrate held by the substrate holding mechanism and the substratecleaning brush relative to each other along an peripheral surface of thesubstrate.
 11. A substrate treatment method comprising the steps of:pressing a substrate cleaning brush as recited in claim 1 against asubstrate; and moving the substrate and the substrate cleaning brushrelative to each other along a peripheral surface of the substrate.